Bialya
Some time before the modern age of superheroes, archaeologist Dan Garrett discovered the Blue Beetle Scarab while unearthing the tomb of the Pharaoh Kha-Ef-Re in Bialya. It granted him a vision, giving him the powers and costume of the Blue Beetle. In later years, Bialya developed into a militaristic state led by the ruthless, yet buffoonish Col. Rumaan Harjavti. Under Harjavti's reign, Bialya was a police state, overrun by poverty and political strife. Under Harjavti's reign, members of the United Nations super-team known as the Global Guardians became members of the Bialyan military, causing friction with their replacements in the Justice League International. Harjavti conspired with a former member of his harem, a woman known only as the Queen Bee to solidify his power base, and turn Bialya into a major world power. To this end, the Queen Bee and an alien scientist from the Dominion developed technologically advanced brainwashing techniques that enabled them to maintain control over select members of the super-human community such as the former members of the Global Guardians. Harjavti also captured a member of the Champions of Angor known as Wandjina. With the Queen Bee's help, Wandjina was transformed into the Thunderer, a loyal killer in service to Bialya. It was the Queen Bee who actually pulled Wandjina's strings however, and at a public demonstration, she had the Thunderer brutally assassinate Colonel Harjavti before the entire assemblage. The Queen Bee declared herself the new ruler of Bialya and instituted aggressive initiatives that seemingly transformed the country overnight. What was once a violent, pock-marked ghetto became a veritable paradise resort. Media analysts compared the New Bialya to that of Acapulco and the French Riviera. The Queen Bee opened Bialya's doors to commerce and trade. She instituted free food programs, twenty-four hour free medical care for its citizenry, cultural exchange benefits and a 100% employment rate. Bialya was the perfect nation. This miraculous transition however, did not come about through purely ethical means. The Queen Bee developed an implant that electronically increased a person's endomorphin levels whenever they were present in Bialya. Leaving the country however, caused the stimulus to cease, creating what was in effect withdrawal pains. Residents were literally addicted to living in Bialya. This prompted an independent investigation by Sarge Steel, Captain Atom and Major Force. Major Force and Captain Atom discovered the truth behind the Queen Bee's activities, but while Major Force succumbed to the effects of the endormorphin rush, Captain Atom resisted. He succeeded in pushing past the country's addictive effects and was able to leave. Unfortunately, he was unable to expose the Queen Bee's actions or have any effect on the New Bialyan political structure. Factions of the United States government including Justice League International were greatly concerned over the Queen Bee's actions, but recognized that any action they undertook could spawn an international incident. Captain Atom's European branch of the JLI engaged in a deep cover mission to expose the truth behind the Queen Bee's actions. This affair resulted in a stalemate and an uneasy truce was formed between the JLE and the Queen Bee. After several more encounters with the Justice League, the Queen Bee was eventually deposed and replaced by her sister Queen Bee IV, who was in turn deposed. Red Tornado's adopted daughter Traya Sutton was half-Bialyan. Traya was the victim of hate crime at her private school after a fellow student's parents were killed in a terrorist attack in Bialya. She was rescued from such attacks by her roommate, Cissie King-Jones, aka the former Young Justice member Arrowette. During the 45th week of the "missing year", Black Adam was manipulated into attacking Bialya, when Azraeuz, the last of the Four Horsemen of Apokolips who murdered his wife and brother-in-law, fled there. Insane with grief, Black Adam slaughtered two million people trying to find Azraeuz. Following the devastation, a new government under President Rashid was formed. He denied all but the most essential international aide, citing national security and sovereignty. Unfortunately, these were the least of Bialya's troubles. The spirits of the Four Horsemen—Yurrd, Rogga, and Zorrm—followed Azraeuz's spirit and subsequently took human hosts, slaughtering even more as they regained their strength. Using the dead of Bialya as a workforce, Azraeuz had them build a mound of earth and corpses, where they rebuilt their bodies. The Horsemen were eventually defeated by the Justice League and Veronica Cale, but not before they mudered hundreds of others and built a firepit in Bialya. | PointsOfInterest = * Alegab (capital in New Earth continuity). ** First Laudro-Bank of Bialya ** Harjavti Holton * Bialya City (capital in Prime Earth continuity). | Residents = * Rumaan Harjavti * Queen Bee * Abdul Abdullah Abdul * Sumaan Harjavti | Notes = * While the real-life inspiration for Bialya has not been specified, it is presumably based on Libya (a near anagram of Bialya) and other Mid-Eastern countries ruled by military strongmen. It was notably featured in issues of Justice League International as written by Keith Giffen and J.M. DeMatteis. | Trivia = | Links = }} Category:Middle East Category:Keith Giffen/Creator Category:J.M. DeMatteis/Creator Category:Kevin Maguire/Creator